After a quiet outing in his first Summer League game on Friday, Victor Wembanyama was back in action Sunday night against the Trail Blazers.
In his second taste of NBA action, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft looked a lot more like the hyped prospect fans expected to see, turning in an impressive performance on both sides of the ball.
How did Wembanyama fare against the Blazers? The Sporting News breaks it down below.
MORE: Live coverage from Victor Wembanyama's second Summer League game
Breaking down Victor Wembanyama's game vs. Trail Blazers
Wembanyama turned in a much more aggressive performance Sunday night, looking for his shot and attacking the basket with intent. He finished with 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks while shooting 9-of-14 from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the arc as the Spurs fell to the Blazers 85-80.
With that stat line, he became the first Spurs player with 25 points and 10 rebounds in Summer League since 2017, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Wembanyama finished the first quarter with two points and attempted just two shots but once the second quarter rolled around he found his footing. He demanded the ball in the post, following his shots at the rim and keeping things simple with no shortage of highlight-reel plays mixed in.
At 7-5, Wembanyama's gigantic frame is his biggest strength and that was on full display, tipping an offensive rebound to himself off the glass and slamming it home.
The list of other players in the NBA who could seamlessly pull off a play like that probably starts and ends with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Wemby keeps it alive.
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
Wemby slams it home.
No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama heating up in the #NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN2! pic.twitter.com/1zbAqj3BlT
It's no secret Wembanyama's ability to protect the rim is already at an elite level, but the timing and agility to block this 3-point attempt from fellow Frenchman Rayan Rupert was wildly impressive.
Wemby blocks the 3PA 👀#NBA2KSummerLeague LIVE on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/Sad9YggtWj
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
He gave us a glimpse of his electrifying two-way potential with this impressive sequence in the second frame, coming up with the block on one end before throwing down the dunk on the other.
BLOCK THE SHOT.
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
RUN THE FLOOR.
SLAM DUNK FINISH.
Get to ESPN2 to see Victor Wembanyama in action! pic.twitter.com/4NANLqCyMG
After scoring just nine points in his Summer League debut against the Hornets, Wembanyama finished the first half against the Blazers with 11 points and six rebounds on 4-of-5 shooting. At one point in the second quarter, he scored nine-straight points.
He carried that over into the second half, dropping six points in the third quarter and 10 in the fourth quarter, helping the Spurs cut a 19-point deficit down to one point before the Blazers held on for the win.
Offensively, Wembanyama showed how he can hurt you in different ways, feasting at the rim, draining shots from beyond the arc and displaying some smooth footwork in the post to finish over multiple defenders.
Footwork & touch on display for Wemby 👀#NBA2KSummerLeague LIVE on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/5sVM9F35aL
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
Takeaways from Wembanyama's performance vs. Blazers
With plenty of expectation coming into his second Summer League game, Wembanyama responded exactly how you'd expect.
The difference in mindset was clear from the outset as he aggressively attacked the rim and confidently finished through contact.
AND-1. FLEX. WEMBY LOCKED IN 🔒#NBA2KSummerLeague on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/B07rxIFrii
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
The biggest difference from Game 1 to Game 2 showed up in the free throw count.
After going 4-of-4 at the line against the Hornets, he tripled his free throw attempts Sunday night, connecting on 7-of-12 against the Blazers.
"[He was] a little bit more comfortable today," Spurs head coach Matt Nielsen said postgame.
"A little bit of confidence, he's a skillful basketball player that was working it out."
That dominance inside opened up the rest of Wembanyama's game. He confidently stepped into his 3-point shots, going 2-for-4 from deep on the night, which no doubt gave him a boost after seeing a few go down from range.
WEMBY THREE FOR 27 🎯
— NBA (@NBA) July 10, 2023
GET TO ESPN2 🗣 pic.twitter.com/di7k2gFjiO
Nielsen didn't confirm whether this would be Wembanyama's last outing in Vegas, but after tonight's showing, it wouldn't be entirely surprising if the Spurs have seen enough from their franchise cornerstone.
The Spurs are back in action on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards, with tip-off set for 10:30 p.m. ET.